XcelleNet, Inc., the leading provider of management solutions for remote systems and mobile & wireless devices, today announced that the Scottish Youth Hostels Association has implemented Afaria, its mobile device management software, to facilitate communications between hostels throughout Scotland. Afaria enables the Scottish Youth Hostels Association to deploy applications, manage and deliver content, and automate system and data backup from all computerised hostels. This ensures that each benefits from continuous contact, regardless of location.

The Scottish Youth Hostel has some 600,000 overnight stays per year, and with in excess of 40 remote computerised sites, selected Afaria to enable all sites to be linked together. “Our increasing presence across Scotland meant that there was a greater need for this kind of software solution,” says Information Systems Manager for the Scottish Youth Hostel Association, Rob Ralston. “Afaria immediately met our requirements, and essentially gives us total remote management by enabling our hostel staff to connect and use automated communication sessions to back up files, deliver changes to remote application settings and download and install regular anti-virus updates.

Computerised hostels and mobile hostel support staff initiate their connections by simply clicking a link on a web page provided on the Association's Intranet. The IT department at National Office prepares the content and timing of the Afaria sessions. As well as systems upgrades, Afaria manages the delivery of applications, such as new web browser releases, and documents for everyday use, such as PDF templates and forms for completion by hostel staff. This is all achieved using a secure private wide area network and gives the administrator complete management over the accuracy, timeliness and customisation of the information delivered to all of the hostels.

Ralston concludes, “Afaria has enabled us to operate our communications seamlessly and automatically with all of our locations. We have witnessed considerable savings in man-hours usually associated with maintaining such a system. Before we implemented Afaria, we could spend half an hour on the phone to each hostel in turn, manually carrying out the tasks Afaria completes automatically within seconds. Our time at hostels is now better spent with our customers.”

About the Scottish Youth Hostels Association

Scottish Youth Hostels form part of the International Youth Hostel Federation (Hostelling International, www.iyhf.org) and attracts approximately 600,000 overnight stays per year. The Association caters for all visitors, from independent backpacker travellers, to those requiring exclusive group use of hostels (http://www.rentahostel.com) and activity-based holidays (http://www.hostelholidays.com). Two-thirds of visitors to Scottish youth hostels come from other parts of the UK, Europe and the World. More information can be obtained from http://www.syha.org.uk

Scottish Youth Hostels used the technical expertise of FDF Infonet Ltd. In the planning and implementation of its Afaria remote systems management solution. (www.fdf.co.uk , info@fdf.co.uk)

About XcelleNet

XcelleNet, Inc. is the leading provider of enterprise solutions for managing remote systems and mobile & wireless devices. For more than 14 years, the company has been a pioneer in meeting the challenges of securely delivering and maintaining mission-critical applications and content to remote locations with its flagship product, RemoteWareÒ. Today companies around the world use RemoteWare to manage kiosks, retail and restaurant store systems, branch office networks, and other remote systems.

Leveraging remote expertise and award-winning technology, in May 2000 XcelleNet introduced AfariaÔ , a device management solution designed to address the problems enterprises face as a result of the explosive growth of the mobile & wireless economy. Afaria provides the most comprehensive management functionality available for organisations deploying large numbers of mobile devices, including laptops, PocketPCs, Palm Handhelds, RIM Blackberrys, and Symbian smart phones.

XcelleNet serves some 2,500 customers worldwide in a broad range of industries such as pharmaceutical, retail, hospitality, insurance, financial services and manufacturing. The company’s solutions reduce total cost of ownership of remote or mobile deployments, accelerate end-user productivity and ensure the availability and reliability of corporate applications and information to an organisation’s remote and mobile workforce. More information is available at http://www.XcelleNet.com and http://www.Afaria.com.

XcelleNet is a trademark of XcelleNet, Inc. Afaria is a trademark of Afaria, Inc. – an XcelleNet affiliate. XcelleNet and Afaria make no claims of ownership to all other products and company names mentioned herein which may be the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.